A nursing student at Wagner College reportedly suffered a neck fracture when another individual jumped off a rear deck and landed on her, knocking her to the ground, according to the woman's attorney.

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Another student's apparent stunt during a Labor Day weekend party in Grymes Hill has put an aspiring nurse's career on hold, according to her lawyer.

Megan Lowles, a nursing student at Wagner College, suffered a neck fracture when Vito Gadaleta jumped off a rear deck and landed on her, knocking her to the ground, said Ms. Lowles' attorney, Michael J. Gaffney of Sunnyside.

Gadaleta, 17, a freshman at Wagner, jumped down about 8 feet and hit Ms. Lowles, who was standing below the deck talking to friends, according to the lawyer and a lawsuit Ms. Lowles recently filed against Gadaleta in state Supreme Court, St. George.

"There was a set of stairs right there," Gaffney said. "Whether he was impatient or showing off, we don't know. My client happened to be standing at the wrong place at the wrong time."

Ms. Lowles is a senior at Wagner, the attorney said. She and Gadaleta are New Jersey residents, according to court papers.

The incident occurred about 12:30 a.m. on Sept. 2 at a Cedar Terrace residence, according to suit papers.

Gaffney his client and Gadaleta were attending a Labor Day weekend party. The off-campus house is privately owned and was rented by Wagner students, but neither his client nor Gadaleta live there, he said.

As a result of her injuries, Ms. Lowles was hospitalized for five days. She has since returned to school, but on a limited basis, Gaffney said.

Her injuries have prevented her from taking part in a hospital rotation she was slated to begin this term, he said. That part of her curriculum may be pushed back a year, said Gaffney, adding his client's prognosis is undetermined.

Ms. Lowles seeks unspecified monetary damages. Wagner is not named in the lawsuit.

Reached by phone last week, Gadaleta's family declined comment, saying they have not received the suit papers.